Propaganda took from press of few particular countries in years span of
1914-1918

The propaganda during the First World War was the most important source to
forward it andan effort of whole nation-states, together with money, food and
weaponry. With this one previous sentence we could end this short paper treating
on the propaganda during
La Grande Guerra.
But obviously that would steal us more in-depth understanding of the whole
complicacy of the process. Because the First World War propaganda was unique.
Unique in a sense that never before had been so popularly used and with such
success, and never again so far for so long without causing dissent from some
group of society. That incredible achievement had been done by consolidating
both propagandist sources, public propaganda steered by state and the private
one created by non-governmental organisations or private citizens.

To start the war only a temporary moment of illusion of invincibility, of sure
success laying ahead was needed. The spur of enthusiasm and a lot of promises
during first months. But with the enrollment for longer and longer terms to the
military. With deaths of thousands per day, with the disillusion caused by
natural hardship of war, of lost family members, whole fortunes and perspectives
this spur of the moment slowly started to be lost. The will of populations would
be dried up and consent would start to change in either a wish of immediate
cease of hostilities or angriness against own government. Of course in the past
every ruling elite used specific authorities to keep in line ordinary man-o-war.
But in the new type of war — the total war — that would be not enough. Every
part of society had to be incorporated in the propaganda machine. Only it could
play then the role of a cementing element used to remind civils why war is being
fought and why it is the fight for them and their own purpose. Naturally those
who saw the front, saw the atrocities of enemy or lost something or someone in
such events would not need reminding why they have to keep fighting. Soldiers in
regiments would fight at first because of duty, because of the fact it was
proper
or to protect their own home. But that was idealistic and idealism met with
reality starts to be shaken. They would then fight for their brothers,
brothers-in-arms. For dead friends, dead family members, the others and because
of others. Yet that might sometimes not be enough. Not in the conflict of a longitude like this. Because sooner or laterit comes into thinking on those
more peaceful days simply questioning and asking why and what for am I doing
this actually? Then they would have to be reminded, reminded again of their
duty, of atrocities. But by whom? By the state and by families who also would
have to be firstly reminded by the state, religion, artistic and scientific
authorities why it is needed. Why it is the highest necessity.

This role was exactly what the propaganda should be for. To keep people reminded
why they are in a situation they currently are. In such propaganda there cannot
be a place for doubts, for second-thoughts. No. It has to be simple, able to
carry forward on its own, able to stay in mind. Lastly — able to occupy
something more than just ground, to occupy minds, minds of soldiers and
civilians. With them of the whole nation.

This is exactly how propaganda of Grand War looked like. It was wrong,
oversimplified, showy, bright, moving. It was to be why we use the word
„propaganda" today for. To this propaganda not only have beenthe old throne
and altar union incorporated. But also new ideas. Ideas preached by democracy
demagogues and by the Bolsheviks revolutionaries and by tradesmen, lawyers,
university professors and scientists. All dissent was to be silent by reminding
what may come in case of a loss. The enemy. The notion of
enemy which
had been created years ago not only by political and social Darwinism but also
by history spanning up to antiquity. The propaganda of war used in its
depictions of enemy popular myths, humour, mockery. But which also strengthen
patriotism showing that death will be better than what may wait for us.
Vengeance as the most powerful of emotions spearheading new offensives and
keeping morale high, needed to be shown. Children murdered by the enemy, the
rape of Belgium, destroying of civilisation. In the end also destroying of
dominance of the white man, of political and social order. Enemy killing for
pure satisfaction, not because of war. But also the enemy like us we hold by
wrong governments or despots or for backdoor dealings by those who lied to this
enemy. Their officers, tsars, Kaisers, Presidents, Parliaments. Their
propaganda. Finally by showing the enemy in a way which will dehumanize them.
Make them either weaker to be killed or so diabolic that common existence and
peace will never be possible without the total victory of one side. By showing
that enemy is the one that has no right to succeed neither honour to do that,
nor self-determination. He is not worth of winning this fight. This is what the
propaganda during First World War has done. On all sides, on all fronts, in
every army, in every country. Thanks to the new possibilities of waging
soft power
and influence on own societies and on those of enemy it lead to massive use of
all medias at once for gaining higher moral grounds and to allow doing whatever
is necessary to win while still keeping myth of self-righteousness in every case.
Because the opposite was the barbaric enemy without any guilt or any human
features and emotions. Of course the first and foremost way of spreading
propaganda were old ways such as articles, books and newspapers publications.
All writing was necessary, however bad and however misguided in reality; when it
was aimed against enemy, it was to be right in eyes of society. But of course
more than everything mind control is enabled by image and image construction.
This was role of artists and caricaturists. Caricatures in newspapers become in
the end almost or as important as the text in it. Made people to think, to feel,
to hate and to love.. and to pay. Pay for army like in case of most European
countries — buying obligations and state-actions on the market for hard currency.
Sending money, giving, donating property to army, to state. Be it German
Anleihen or be it British state-bonds; the most important were to buy and to pay
for them. That was achieved by evoking patriotism, emotions of solidarity with
those who risk their lives on fronts or at first stages of war — evoking to
visions of normal citizens for gains in such bonds after war. Later that lead
even to bigger payments for such papers emission in new editions — again and
again; forthe sheer sake of keeping them afloat and not to make them worthless.
Moreover that made people pay again and again just to avoid the most black
prospective of losing it all in the case of lost war and cost of war-reparations
(again the German and Austrian case). In other countries it tookthe form of
consenting to war by wives and mothers of future-to-be soldiers which decided to
join the army (the British case). In the US it were mostly pleas for speeding up
industry and nation-economy which could be done by lowering wages and later of
course by appeals for joining the army by Uncle Sam. In France it could have
been appeals for repopulation or enticing with prospective of regiment
courtesans waiting for the bravest of the bravest. Each state had its specific
way of propaganda. But each and ever state used all possible medias to spread it.
Other than newspapers or books and articles (like in the case of a German
scientist condemning spreading
lies
about German offensive on Belgium and atrocities done by them there in so called
Manifesto of ninety-three)
it was of course the use of leaflets dropped from planes on enemy lines. That
were also new plays in theatres, new poetry, new music on gramophones, new
pieces in operas, new songs in pubs and schools. Each and every one of them was
necessary for this kind of war, the struggle of nations. But the most important
was the new medium of silent cinemas. Chaplin's role in California productions
which inspired thousands and got into hearts and minds of thousands others
during years between 1914 and 1918. His influence was not only seen on screen as a figure of general knowledge keeping minds revolving around war but also as
encouragement for charities in sake of army equipping for
war over the sea
(like his New York one which gathered more than thirty thousand observers and
participants).

That all was used especially to provoke previously mentioned two general
feelings having power to overtake minds and help to keep support during the four
years of harsh war. Patriotism and the will of vengeance on enemy. To produce
those two the propaganda had to be especially clear, succinct and sharply
pointed against the enemy. Depictions of such foes must have been the best
designed under specific society. Best in this case should not be considered in
graphical terms but instead in terms of using stereotypes and making them easily
recognizable for the reader. There have to been created a specific convention of
depicting the enemy and whole enemy countries and societies. There was the need
of specific construct for each of those foes. Thus mugs for Kitchener, ashtrays
for Foch and specific substances, animals and other artefacts were used for
special personas and whole nations. Galician rooster symbolised French, bulldog
become symbol of Brits (both in their own propaganda — vide Union Jack with
centre bulldog symbol of Great Britain and smaller ones at ends of crosses in
this flag symbolizing New Zealand, Australia, India, South Africa and Canada;
and bulldog with awful, distorted face and its owner with same one) together
with Lion (of Albion and Normandy lions on coat-of-arms), bear for Russia, Uncle
Sam or Jewish banker for US; and other symbols. Like eagles, double headed
eagles, black eagles, golden ones and personifications of Austria, Germania,
Marianne/Frankia, Britain, Italia as woman deities.

But every country has had its preferred way to show the enemy. The way which
would also at the same time glorify its own state and bring this state the role
of either liberator from chains or the saviour of whole world from Armageddon.
Germany at the beginning of the war showed France and Britain as distorted black
men robbing from valuables white Germans and other white men. It was an affront
to the fact that France used black soldiers from colonies against the Europeans.
Britain instead was showing Austria-Hungary as always a slave or justan
instrument of politics for distorted German Emperor. It viewed itself as a pigeon of peace tothe German people being under the constant threat of
Prussian-military punishment by officers — either in Chaplin movie
Shoulder Arms
of 1918 or in placards with propaganda. The same was also sometimes used against
Austrians (like this showing regiment defecating on officers order). For
German's Brits were always opulent tradesmen lurking for stealing their
treasures and envying their industry or Britain which as an Island is one stone
separated on sea full of U-Boots. The Russians are always completely drunk,
always with ammunition which does not work, with plans which show inaccurate or
obviously distorted maps. As beggars and robbing thieves stealing from their own
dead. Sending whole battalions without heed on anything, like just so called
cannon fodder
and looking only not to be beaten up by the Tsar and to get their next shot.
Always uneducated barbarians, analphabetic half-morons touched by
Mongolian-syndrome, looking like Huns (though that designation was also used in
one British school song about German-Hun destroying house built by Jack) not
possessing modern technology. Always with Asiatic and wild faces from
heavy-drinking and with long beards. Britain always steering hand of US
Presidents (like in
Dictator
in
Der Wahre Jacob
from 1917) or holding them on short leash. Russian Tsar always dancing or
playing like Nero over burning Rome — on pile made out of Russian skulls (again
Der Wahre Jacob,
1907). For Americans it was the war for spreading democracy and against Germans
always murdering innocent civilians — as such was depicted at least in their
propaganda. Thus Germans under constant look of officers bringing
Lusitania
and other hundreds of ships with only civilians aboard down, killing
prisoners-o-war without pardon. For French it was Kaiser who with distorted face
as big child-giant was pushing millions into the abyss without morality and
guilt. For Germans Brits were always using their partners, doing nothing but
riding over them literally with quadriga pulled by Russian bear and French
Marianne depicted like old-hag vel prostitute. For Russians again Germans were
always Teutonic Knights murdering whole nations made-up from Slavs hand in hand
with Muslim Turkey crucifying Armenians and Greek Christians. Germanic
barbarians clod in steel, dehumanized and obsessed with blood spilling over
their Prussian eagle and flag of Second Reich. With thousands of dead women and
children standing up from graves to denounce Kaiser-murderer. Russian Saint
George was reminding that it was still war of
true Christianity
against Muhammad-followers and Papist-Austrian Kaiser. German emperor was devil
incarnated with frenzied eyes burning with hell fire city after city, town after
town, village after village. He was bringing inferno to hide his terrifying
crimes in soil and ash. Antichrist on earth bringing hundred-headed dragon,
Luciferus in human skin, eating flesh of his enemies. Dragons which can be only
killed by St George on symbol of Russian vitality — proud horse and rider with
Cossack soul. With Slavic joyfulness screaming
slava
and
hurra
while trotting and charging against steel and robotic, dehumanized, iron-horse
braking to pieces on large and green Russian soil or toppling his iron-clad
knights with spot-on arrows into the mud. Before war popular were also
depictions of Powers bringing themselves to common annihilation in road leading
into arms of personalised by skeleton death — like in
Dreadnought Fever.